Española District Office Will Hold Saturday Hours to Sell Christmas Tree Permits

By SFNF

The Santa Fe National Forest’s Española District Office will hold Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on four consecutive Saturdays starting on Nov. 27 to give customers additional opportunities to purchase cut-your-own Christmas tree permits over the phone for mailing or curbside pickup.

The four Saturdays for sales are Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. The Española Office is located at 18537 US 84/285, Suite B. For more information, contact the Española Ranger Station at (505) 753-7331. The Española District Office is the only Santa Fe National Forest office that will be open for business on Saturdays.

Over-the-phone and online Christmas tree permit sales for the entire Santa Fe National Forest will begin Monday, Nov. 22. Permits can be purchased online through Recreation.gov and printed at home to be placed on your dashboard. The digital image on your smartphone is not considered a valid permit.

Permits purchased by phone from forest headquarters or any of the SFNF district offices will be delivered via postal mail along with maps and guidelines for harvesting a tree. Customers in the Pecos area can also buy a Christmas tree permit at Pancho’s Minute Men Shell Station at 9 S. Main Street in Pecos. Call Pancho’s at 505-757-2620 to confirm permit availability.

The SFNF’s nonrefundable Christmas tree permits are $10. Permits purchased online throughRecreation.gov will include an additional $2.50 service fee. One tag is valid for a tree up to five inches in diameter and 10 feet in height. Trees taller than 10 feet and/or wider than five inches require an additional tag. For example, a 15-foot tree requires two tags. The Santa Fe National Forest has a three-tag limit per household.

As part of the “Every Kid Outdoors” initiative, every fourth grader is eligible for a free holiday tree permit with a valid Every Kid Outdoors pass, downloadable at www.everykidoutdoors.gov. The student’s unique pass code is required to receive a free permit. Fourth graders can apply for their free permit through the online system by selecting the option and entering the code on their pass when prompted. The online Every Kid Outdoors permits will include the $2.50 service fee. Every Kid Outdoors permits can also be redeemed from the forest directly over the phone.

The cutting period for Christmas trees is Nov. 22 to Dec. 31, 2021. Permit holders should be prepared for unpredictable weather changes and colder conditions at higher elevations. Forest Service staff may be in the cutting areas to check permits and answer questions. Permit holders are asked to practice good stewardship. SFNF Christmas tree permits are valid only on land within forest boundaries. Tree cutting is prohibited in developed recreation sites and congressionally designatedwilderness areas and within 300 feet of streams, rivers and paved roads. See this Forest Service video for more tips on harvesting your own Christmas tree.